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Wine + Dinner = True Love at Toulouse

I’m afraid I’m developing quite an addiction for wine dinners – what’s not to love?

Perfectly paired dishes with exquisite wines and the chance to hear the actual winemaker tell about the soil, the weather, and all of the things that intricately help make this wine what it has become? Yes, please. It’s a pleasure to hear them speak because they love what they do and what they create. It’s educational AND delicious!

Since my first ever wine dinner experience at Pacci was so wonderful, I jumped at the opportunity to attend the Dine Around Dinner at Toulouse in Buckhead last night. It was a new event as part of the High Museum Wine Auction going on this weekend, and Toulouse created a seven course dinner based on the wines of two California wineries, Niner Wine Estates and Lancaster Estate, with a part of the proceeds going towards the High Museum.

We listened closely as reps from each winery filled us in about each wine as we went thru from course to course. Both reps went the extra mile by sitting down to chat with guests at different tables and answer any questions people had – what a great way to learn. I think I see a visit to California Wine Country in my future!

Because sometimes pictures speak louder than words, I’m sharing a slideshow of my photos from the evening. Follow along with the menu online if you wish! Every dish was delightful and I can’t wait to go back and try Toulouse again soon.

Hurry into Marlow's Tavern before Bayou n' Bourbon ends!

The Mardi Gras-themed menu at Marlow’s Tavern will be saying goodbye and rolling back to the bayou on Monday, March 29. This weekend is your last chance to taste the flavors of Bayou n’ Bourbon. The thought of food down in the bayou has me salivating already. Is it lunch time yet??? If you're a meat lover like me, then you'll enjoy the Bayou Burger. The fresh ground beef is mixed with Andouille sausage and has craw dads on the burger. That's three meats in one burger, I call that heaven!

To wash down the food, I recommend the Marlow's Sazerac. The drink just reminds me of being in the French Quarter and Bourbon St. Well, I'm not sure if I even remember being on Bourbon St., I may have had too many Sazeracs, but that's another story I won't get in to. So just laisser les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll) and head into the nearest Marlow's to enjoy a po'boy, jambalaya, gumbo or a cold Abita Jockamo!

Marlow's Tavern: Alpharetta at 3719 Old Alabama Road, 770-475-1800; Kennesaw at 745 Chastain Road, NW, 770-425-8777; Midtown at 950 West Peachtree Street, 404-815-0323; Vinings at 2355 Cumberland Parkway, 770-432-2526; Northlake at 4156 LaVista Road, 678-987-1197; and Duluth at 1950 Satellite Boulevard, 770-622-2033.

Uncork a Journey This Weekend

In case you haven't already heard, this weekend marks the 18th Annual High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction, one of the city's most popular events. From March 25 - 27, the nationally ranked wine auction will include several exciting food and wine events. If that doesn't have you revved up already, there is an extra element to this year's festivities: the March opening of The Allure of the Automobile exhibition at the High Museum of Art.

The custom-built schedule of activites includes events at The Cook's Warehouse - Midtown and The St. Regis Atlanta, winemaker dinners, wine seminars, the Beep Beep, Beep Beep, Yeah!: Vintners' Cup Golf Tournament at Eastlake Golf Club and the Vintners' Reception and Wine Auction under the tents at Atlantic Station on Saturday. Pacci Ristorante, Spice Market and Toulouse are Dine Around Dinner destinations on March 25. Aqua blue, Aria, JCT. Kitchen & Bar and Woodfire Grill also are participating in the weekend events.

Click here for more details.

Hawkes Returns to Aria

Jake Hawkes is back in town tonight for Aria's latest Hawkes Winery dinner. A year and a half ago Jake and Gerry presented a fun-filled evening to a sold out crowd. Tonight at 7 p.m. guests will have the chance to enjoy Jake's passion and knowledge of wine as well as Chef Gerry Klaskala's skillful and creative spring menu.

Wines for the evening include a Home Ranch Chardonnay, 2005 "Red Winery Road" Vineyard Cabernet, 2005 Pyramid Vineyard Cabernet, 2005 Stone Vineyard Cabernet and 2009 Botrytis Semillon barrel sample. Chef Klaskala's menu will feature whole spring lamb prepared in a variety of ways. The dinner is $90 per person (excluding tax and gratuity) and reservations are a must so call quickly if you are planning to attend!

Hippity Hoppity, Easter's On Its Way!

Get those pretty bonnets and shiny patent shoes ready!  With Easter arriving on April 4th, Atlantans are already making plans on ways to spend the day with family.

In case you missed it, today's issue of The Dish has got you covered on where all the best meals can be found around town, as well as where the Easter Bunny will be wanting to stock up on chocolates to create the loveliest baskets.  Check out our list and make your reservations now for a very hoppy Easter day!

Scotch-licious

Last night, I attended a Glenlivet Scotch Tasting at Morton's The Steakhouse in Downtown Atlanta. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I am not a Scotch drinker, or really even a Scotch liker, at all, but I went in to last night's tasting with high hopes that they could change my mind.

Randy Adams, one of only five Glenlivet Brand Ambassadors, succeeded on all accounts! We sampled the 12 year, the 15 year French oak, the 16 year Nadurra and the 18 year (all paired with Morton's delicious signature appetizers). While I found most of the Scotches a little strong for my taste, I was blown away with the 18 year. It was filled with scents of honey and vanilla and with a splash of water I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Before the evening ended, I got to draw the name of one lucky participant to win two tickets to The Single Malt and Scotch Whisky Extravaganza at the Intercontinental Buckhead Hotel on Thursday night. Greg was so happy he won that he bought me a drink at the bar afterwards as a thank you! A new appreciation for Scotch, a few mini-steak sandwiches and a complimentary glass of wine later, I've deemed last night a fantastically fun time!

Two for One Wine Dinner at Ray's on the River

Sister wineries Peirson Meyer and L'Angevin will come together over dinner tomorrow evening at Ray's on the River and you're invited! Robbie Meyer, winemaker and co-proprietor of the two California wineries, will be there to talk with guests over the four-course dinner with wine pairings. Executive Chef Tom McEachern's menu deliciously announces spring's arrival: Scottish salmon on blini with mascarpone and English pea soup with lobster skewers paired with 2007 Peirson Meyer Chardonnay, Charles Heintz Vineyard, Sonoma Coast; crab-stuffed Arcadian redfish, fennel and pineapple butter paired with 2007 L'Angevin Chardonnay, Russian River Valley; seared duck breast, truffled red wine risotto, and white and green asparagus with Parmesan foam joined by 2007 L'Angevin Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley; and a cheese course including a plate of goat brie, Comté, blackberry compote and Marcona almonds paired with 2006 Peirson Meyer Pinot Noir, Sonoma Stage Vineyard, Sonoma Coast. The evening concludes with assorted truffles and coffee. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and costs $125 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Seating is limited; call 770-955-1187 to make reservations.

Ray's on the River: 6700 Powers Ferry Road; 770-955-1187.

It's Follow Friday: Meet our Tweep of the Week @EatUpATL

We here at Atlanta Dish are all about fun new social media ideas, especially ones that involve food! A brand new kind of tweet-up is happening thanks to @EatUpATL and you definitely should follow to find out more! Twitter friends Chad - @ratpack, Erin - @atl365, Laura - @LauraScholz, and Marisa - @MarisaSharpe put their heads together and came up with @EatUpATL so Atlantans could try new restaurants and make new friends on one special night! Stay tuned to their Twitter feed, website, and Facebook page to find out about future events like their March 23rd event at Lunacy Black Market.

“Brew Your Cask Off” for weekend fun with SweetWater

All’s fair in love and war – and this Saturday will be a big, beer-filled battle over at SweetWater Brewing Company! Starting at 6 p.m., it’s the big day for the “Brew Your Cask Off” Cask Ale Festival which will find the unveiling of brews made by 75+ special guests, including local retailers, celebrities, media folks, home brewers and charities from the Atlanta area. We’d put our money on Marlow’s Tavern and Ormsby’s brews, given how much love both spots have for pouring an excellent pint! Attendees will have a chance to sample the all of the newly-created ales to see which are their favorites.

the kegs await their final judgment

Entries will be judged the day of the festival by a handpicked crew of Atlantans, with the winners being announced at 9 p.m. The judges’ top four casks, as well as the people’s choice winner will have their casks recreated and served at the upcoming SweetWater 420 Fest in April in Candler Park! Tickets and more information can be found online.

Do you like your sushi in an eating contest form?

It's March Madness BABBBBYYYYY! It's the time of year that you'll hear Dick Vitale, Digger Phelps and company talk about Cinderellas. Here's a chance to write your own Cinderella story and claim your throne in Atlanta sushi-eating lore. On Sunday, March 21 from noon to 4 p.m., RA Sushi is hosting MAKI MADNESS. If you think you can handle the MAKI MADNESS' bracket-style sushi-eating contest then grab your chopsticks and be prepared to dominate the Tootsy Maki roll. Whether you’re a professional food eater or just like a little competition, you’ll be sure to enjoy plenty of entertainment and food and drink specials all day long.

Advanced registration is required and space is limited. Registration forms can be picked up at RA Sushi, so hurry up fast before the spaces are gone. All of the $10 cash entry fee will benefit Bert’s Big Adventure.

RA Sushi is located at 1080 Peachtree Street, 30309 (11th & Peachtree).

A Live Leprechaun, Lemintcello and Rooftop Lounging...Oh My!

Even if you're not Irish, your eyes will surely be smiling if you celebrate St. Patrick's Day at AltoRex Rooftop Lounge, atop Pacci Ristorante, in Midtown. This hot spot has an Irish shindig planned from 7 - 11 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, offering green beer and St. Pat's-themed cocktails such as the restaurant's signature Lemintcello, made of house-made Limoncello, Midori and fresh mint. More importantly, AltoRex is the only place in town where you can actually catch a leprechaun! Guests can enjoy taking photos with the little green guy as well as Irish and spring-inspired dishes from Chef Keira Moritz. The party will also feature a raffle - may the luck o' the Irish be with you. AltoRex Rooftop Lounge is located at 866 West Peachtree Street, NW; 678-412-2402.

Uncharted Territories

Next Monday, March 22, Morton’s in Downtown Atlanta will be hosting a Glenlivet Scotch Tasting event from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Now, it is a bit of an understatement when I say I'm not really a Scotch drinker. I think I've probably had one sip in my entire life and I definitely didn't enjoy that sip enough to go after a second taste, but my husband is a HUGE Scotch lover so I dutifully agreed to attend. After I made our reservations though I got to thinking - last year I attended a bourbon tasting that Morton's Downtown hosted and I had the exact same attitude. I didn't like bourbon and I didn't think I ever would. Wow, did that tasting change my mind! Not only did I realize that I actually like bourbon, the Brown Derby is my cocktail of choice these days!

So, I've decided to enter these uncharted territories with an open mind this time around.
A Glenlivet Ambassador will be there to lead us through a proper Scotch tasting with four of The Glenlivet's critically acclaimed single malts. They will be paired with selections from Morton's classic hors d'oeuvres menu. Who knows, maybe this time next year I'll be sipping Scotch like a pro...

The cost for this event is $49 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. Space is limited so make your reservation early!

Pass the calculator. Pass the fork.

Honestly, I never have been one to understand math without a visual picture of what was supposed to be calculated! Thankfully, Morton’s The Steakhouse is making it easy for those of us better at simply enjoying an amazing dessert than remembering mathematical constants this weekend. Right up my alley!


Since Sunday, March 14th is National Pi Day, both locations have decided to serve their beloved key lime pie for only $3.14 – that’s 3.14159265 for all you authentic math geniuses. Since a slice is usually $10, it doesn’t take crazy calculating skills to know you should get in there for a sweet treat on Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.!

It’s Follow Friday – Meet our Tweep of the Week @ACFB

The countdown is on and we here at MLA are pumped to lace up our sneaks and hit the pavement on Sunday for the Atlanta Community Food Bank in the Hunger Walk/ Run! Now you can stay tuned in to the Atlanta Community Food Bank on Twitter – follow them to find out more about volunteering, what restaurants are running specials to benefit the ACFB, and more.
Make sure to also follow along with @AtlantaDish as we tweet from the Hunger Walk/ Run on Sunday!

Free champagne AND truffles? Pinch me now!

Want to indulge yourself in the finer world of truffles? Well then tonight is your big chance! LW Chocolatier, at One Buckhead Plaza, is offering free truffles AND champagne tonight from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. If my life is going to be like a box of chocolates then I want it filled with bittersweet, creamy milk chocolate, solid chocolate flowers or chocolate treasures filled with fruits, marzipan, truffles, nuts, caramel or nougat. Once I stop drooling about all the chocolates, I'll be on my way to LW Chocolatier later this afternoon.

Here's another nougat of knowledge: LW Chocolatier holds a champagne and chocolate tasting on the second Thursday of each month from 5 - 7 p.m. Store hours are weekdays from 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

LW Chocolatier: One Buckhead Plaza, 3060 Peachtree Road, NW, Suite 40; 404-467-8503.

Still Time to Join Us for the Hunger Walk!

Walk toward a solution for hunger, not away from it. Hunger Walk 2010 begins and ends at Turner Field on Sunday, March 14. You don't have to go it alone, enjoy the pre-spring afternoon walking with Team mmmmmmmMLA. Sure, we'll talk food -- as in how exciting it is to know that by hoofing it, we're being part of a community solution to put food on the plates and in the pantries of metro-area residents experiencing really tough times. Hunger Walk 2010 activities begin at noon so you can still sleep in/read the paper/church/brunch. Already committed that day? Send an online donation to the Atlanta Community Food Bank instead!

We're meeting at the Fifth Group tent at 1 p.m.!

Support the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Score Free Soup

Craving some hearty soup like lobster bisque or gumbo? Then get out of the kitchen and head to Marlow's Tavern or Aqua blue this Saturday. Guests who bring one or more canned food items for the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) to these restaurants on Saturday, March 13, will receive a free bowl of lobster bisque with any entrée purchase at Aqua blue or a free bowl of roast chicken and shrimp gumbo from the Bayou 'n Bourbon menu at Marlow's Tavern. This is the easiest soup recipe you'll ever find! Eat and drink up because Aqua blue and Marlow's are donating a portion of the day's proceeds to the ACFB. And if you add a $1 or more donation to the ACFB to your check at Aqua blue, you'll be entered to win a three-course meal for two!

Aqua Blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell; 770-643-8886.
Marlow's Tavern: visit www.marlowstavern.com for six Atlanta-area locations.

Put Your Sushi Where Your Mouth Is

In the spirit of March Madness, RA Sushi just announced its first Maki Madness sushi eating contest on Sunday, March 21. Whether you are a professional food eater or just like a little competition, there will be plenty of entertainment and food and drink specials running all day long!

The contest itself is going to be broken down into "heats" just like March Madness. Think you can make it to the Sweet Sixteen or, even better, the Final Four? Advanced registration is required so stop by the hostess stand at RA Sushi to fill out your application. A $10 cash-only registration fee is due the day of the contest and all proceeds from the registration fees will be donated to Bert's Big Adventure!

In between heats, coverage of March Madness games will be shown on all TVs and inflatable basketball hoops will be available for a little off the table competition.

The eating competition runs from noon to 4 p.m. and space is limited so sign up ASAP. Grand prize wins sushi for a year (Twelve $50 RA gift certificates) and bragging rights as Atlanta's Maki Madness champion!

Hope to see you there!

Don’t Miss the $25 Three-Course Menu at Aria

Buckhead Restaurant Week began this past Saturday and Aria is on the action. Chef Gerry Klaskala is offering a tasty three-course menu that includes lobster and sweet potato soup, a Zinfandel-braised short rib of Niman beef and Aria’s acclaimed Valrhona chocolate cream pie. Don’t miss your chance to try all that Aria has to offer and make your reservation this week! The special menu is priced at $25. (Beverages, tax and gratuity not included.) For more information on the restaurant check out AJC Food Writer Meridith Ford Goldman’s review in last week’s “Go Guide” or visit www.aria-atl.com.

Aria: 490 East Paces Ferry Road; 404-233-7673.